We all have been verbally attacked at some point in our life. Sometimes it is just a simple ill word from our spouse or a friend. Verbal attacks often tempt us to respond in the same manner that they spoke to us. Here is what the Bible says.
First remember that when a person verbally attacks you or you feel the need to verbally attack others it is a form of anger that is motivating this. There are two Greek words for anger
Raging anger is "Orge" This means a violent passion, anger which includes vengeance. Colossians 3:8 tells us to put this type of anger aside. Don't the word "Orge" pronounced "Orgay" remind you of another word we know? Ogre. Also in Galatians chapter 5 we see "outbursts of anger" addressed as one of the deeds of the Flesh. In Colossians 3:8 it is translated as wrath. I think that angry tempers, fierce, indignation, passion, rage or wrath applies.
Irritation is another form of anger translated from the word "parorgismos". Ephesians 4:26 tells us to "not let the sun go down on your anger" but the word used in the original scriptures is "parorgismos" so this means that we shouldn't let the sun go down even when we are just irritated led alone when we have full blown raging anger. We should pray and solve those feelings.
What does the bible say...
James 1:20
"For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."
Titus 3:2
"To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all
meekness unto all men".
James 4:11,12
"Speak not evil one of another brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brothers, speaketh evil of the law and judgeth the law; but if they judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one law giver, who is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another."
Proverbs 15:1
"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger"
Matthew 5:9
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God"
Proverbs 14:29,30
"He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones"
Sometimes our pride over what was said to us or about us may result in our feeling a form of anger but pride can be a dangerous emotion if we give into it.
Proverbs 13:10
"Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised wisdom."
The wisest thing to do is to submit to God the control over it.
See James 4:7
Pride can make us assume we know what the other person is thinking and before we know it we have added thoughts into their head without us knowing what they truly think. Often thoughts that are negative, critical, and judgmental are presumptuous.
I try to respond with love and a kind word or if it is a situation where I can remain silent, I do, so as not to become a "brawler". I have learned to then just leave the situation in God's hands through prayer.
Righteous Anger: Since I brought up anger I feel I should speak a little about what I view as righteous anger. We all have gotten angry at times over something that we felt justified the emotions we were experiencing. First I believe that righteous anger, true righteous anger is very very rare. Jesus portrayed it in John Chapter two when he visited the temple and got angry because they had began using it to sell merchandise and he turned over all of their tables.
Most of the time our anger isn't righteous. To test to see if our anger is righteous we should read Philippians 4:8 and even when we are under provocation we must continue to think "true thoughts" meaning, what we are upset over should be truth and we should not stretch the truth or exaggerate it or only be upset over only half of the truth. The thoughts behind our anger and the way we share it should be "honest, just, pure and good thoughts." Think about this last one. Often because of our human nature our anger makes us want to take that person down, get revenge or to ruin their name or we just want to make them pay for making us angry or doing what they did. We are not thinking pure, honest and good thoughts then are we? I am willing to say that our actions that would follow wouldn't be righteous either.
Deuteronomy 32:35 says that "vengeance belongs to God".
Sometimes we allow our anger to grow to a point when we are not expressing our anger for righteous purposes but for our own gain, unrighteous thoughts or for sinful pride and even out of fear of what was said against us or to us being believed by others. Read I Corinthians 13:5.
If our anger doesn't fit into the list at Philippians 4:8 then our anger is not honoring God and it is sinful not righteous.
- Posted by Sherry Lucas using BlogPress for iPad.
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